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Filed: Country: Indonesia
Timeline
Posted

Hello,

I'm new to VJ and have done a lot of reading and I'm still confused on where to begin my journey. I've been dating my fiancee for over a year and half. I'm a US Citizen and she's Indonesian. Our plan is to marry is to have a traditional Indonesian marriage in Jakarta in APR 2011 and have her come to the US immediately after the wedding. Of course this leads to a lot of questions. Just to begin...

1) Is 13 months ample time to gather the necessary documentation to wed in APR 2011 and have her move to the US shortly thereafter?

2) From my understanding (which is limited), if we marry in Indonesia we'll need to file a K-3 when we're married. This process may take up to 6 mos from the day we're married. If a visa process typically takes 6+ mos to process, what type of visa or paperwork can we file 6-12 mos BEFORE we're married so that I won't have to wait additional mos after our wedding date for her to come to the US?

Thanks,

Gila

Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Ukraine
Timeline
Posted (edited)

Hello,

I'm new to VJ and have done a lot of reading and I'm still confused on where to begin my journey. I've been dating my fiancee for over a year and half. I'm a US Citizen and she's Indonesian. Our plan is to marry is to have a traditional Indonesian marriage in Jakarta in APR 2011 and have her come to the US immediately after the wedding. Of course this leads to a lot of questions. Just to begin...

1) Is 13 months ample time to gather the necessary documentation to wed in APR 2011 and have her move to the US shortly thereafter?

2) From my understanding (which is limited), if we marry in Indonesia we'll need to file a K-3 when we're married. This process may take up to 6 mos from the day we're married. If a visa process typically takes 6+ mos to process, what type of visa or paperwork can we file 6-12 mos BEFORE we're married so that I won't have to wait additional mos after our wedding date for her to come to the US?

Thanks,

Gila

You are responsible for your own success. :thumbs:

Read away:

http://www.visajourney.com/content/guides

Good Luck!

Edited by bjstults

I-129F Sent : 2010-01-16
Visa Approved!!: 2010-04-20
Visa Received: 2010-04-28
POE Chicago: 2010-05-01
Married: 2010-06-30
AOS filed: 2011-01-25
AOS Approved: 2011-03-25

ROC Approved 06-2013

Citizen 09-14

Posted

If your intent on getting married in Jakarta you basically have one option - or if your open to other possibilities you may have two.

Option 1 - You get married in Jakarta and then apply for CR-1 (or K-3). The only things you can do prior to being married in Jakarta are to learn about the process and accumulate proofs of your relationship from the beginning which will aid you through the rest. There is no way to speed up the process, you would have to be married before you can file.

Option 2 - Go the K-1 fiancee route - send in I129F petition and get married in the US. You could do this much sooner. If you've already been dating for 1.5 years you should easlily be able to meet the I129F requirements (proof of meeting in person within the past two years).

Using option 2 - you may still be able to have a traditional wedding ceremony there and not register the marriage. Some may advise against this - you would need to look into it as to how it is scrutinized there and what constitutes a "legal" marriage. Some have gone this route. We did in Vietnam and we had no problems - but I'm not saying its the thing to do.

You could also return to Jakarta and have a wedding there later so the other side could take part.

There is very much to consider. Hang around here and ask some questions - you'll be amazed at the variety of opinions you'll get. Everyone has had their own personal experience so take it all in stride and learn what you can.

Do lots of reading - VJ is a tremendous resource.

Best Wishes!

6/15/2009 Filed I-129F

12/15/2009 Interview (HCMC, VN)

1/16/2010 POE Detroit

3/31/2010 MARRIED !!!

11/20/2010 Filed I-485

12/23/2010 Biometrics (Buffalo, NY)

12/31/2010 I-485 Transfered to CSC

2/4/2011 Green Card received

1/7/2013 Mailed I-751 package

1/14/2013 I-751 NOA (VSC)

2/07/2013 Biometrics (Buffalo, NY)

Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Colombia
Timeline
Posted

I recommend read the guides for K1 & CR1 visas here in VJ and read their respective flowchart

BTH K-3 visas are no longer being processed by NVC since 02/01, so if you get married you must apply for CR-1.

We can all make a difference. Please recycle

por favor no escribas en mayúsculas sostenidas, eso equivale a GRITAR

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Vietnam
Timeline
Posted

BTH K-3 visas are no longer being processed by NVC since 02/01, so if you get married you must apply for CR-1.

Not completely accurate. NVC will still process an I-129F for a K3, provided that the I-129F was approved and received by NVC before the I-130. If the I-130 and I-129F are received by NVC at the same time, then then I-129F is administratively closed as it is considered no longer necessary. This is consistent with the original purpose of the K3, which was to address the long processing times of the I-130 (at the time the law was passed), and provide the spouse of a US citizen a way to get a visa in nearly the same amount of time as a K1.

So, K3's ARE still being processed by NVC, but you no longer have the option of choosing whether the beneficiary will ultimately be applying for a K3 or a CR1. It depends entirely on which petition is approved first.

12/15/2009 - K1 Visa Interview - APPROVED!

12/29/2009 - Married in Oakland, CA!

08/18/2010 - AOS Interview - APPROVED!

05/01/2013 - Removal of Conditions - APPROVED!

Filed: Timeline
Posted (edited)

There is nothing you can do prior to the marriage if you are planning to get married out of the country. Unfortunately, there is no 'we'll marry on x date and she can immigrate shortly thereafter' option.

If you were planning to marry WITHIN the US, you could file for a fiance visa now, then wait out the time. If you want to marry in Indonesia, you cannot file anything until after the wedding.

Is there a chance you could move up the wedding, then file? If your estimations of her not getting here until after April 2011, then if you married this year, that would suffice your personal timeline.

Good luck, and yes, read the guides, they are a Godsend.

Edited by Happy Bunny
Posted

Hello,

I'm new to VJ and have done a lot of reading and I'm still confused on where to begin my journey. I've been dating my fiancee for over a year and half. I'm a US Citizen and she's Indonesian. Our plan is to marry is to have a traditional Indonesian marriage in Jakarta in APR 2011 and have her come to the US immediately after the wedding. Of course this leads to a lot of questions. Just to begin...

1) Is 13 months ample time to gather the necessary documentation to wed in APR 2011 and have her move to the US shortly thereafter?

2) From my understanding (which is limited), if we marry in Indonesia we'll need to file a K-3 when we're married. This process may take up to 6 mos from the day we're married. If a visa process typically takes 6+ mos to process, what type of visa or paperwork can we file 6-12 mos BEFORE we're married so that I won't have to wait additional mos after our wedding date for her to come to the US?

Thanks,

Gila

There is no visa that will allow you to do exactly what you want to do without a significant waiting period.

However, Indonesia like the US, does not recognize a wedding ceremony as a marriage unless you go through the steps to legalize it. In Indonesia for a Muslim wedding it is done by signing a marriage book. For all other religions you have to go to a government office to register the wedding.

You can have your ceremony/going away party without taking the step to legalize the marriage and then follow it up with a wedding at the county offices once your fiancée is in the US. The thing to be aware of is that until you have your wedding in the US, you are not yet married if the question arises (Which it might at the PoE).

keTiiDCjGVo

Filed: Country: Indonesia
Timeline
Posted

You can have your ceremony/going away party without taking the step to legalize the marriage and then follow it up with a wedding at the county offices once your fiancée is in the US. The thing to be aware of is that until you have your wedding in the US, you are not yet married if the question arises (Which it might at the PoE).

Let me get this straight...if I can get a fiancee visa secured early, we can marry and have the ceremoney in Indonesia (but not register the marriage in Indonesia). She can then come to the US and we can have a civil ceremony to register our marriage in the US?

Thanks everyone for your responses!

-G

Posted

Let me get this straight...if I can get a fiancee visa secured early, we can marry and have the ceremoney in Indonesia (but not register the marriage in Indonesia). She can then come to the US and we can have a civil ceremony to register our marriage in the US?

Thanks everyone for your responses!

-G

Yes, that is correct. That is what my wife and I did.

All you have to do is make sure that the person officiating the ceremony is aware not to do anything on your behalf to register the marriage (I don't think they can, but its good to cover that side). If asked at the port of entry about your marriage status, you are not yet married. The reason for bringing this up, is that some people consider themselves married once they have a ceremony and might make the mistake of saying they are married if they come in on a K-1 Visa.

keTiiDCjGVo

Filed: K-1 Visa Country: United Kingdom
Timeline
Posted

Why not do the K-1 visa, get married in a civil ceremony here and once you've applied for advanced parole or she gets her green card, go back to Indonesia and do the ceremony there? That's (sort of) what my fiancee and I are doing.

RoC Timeline

08/20/2012: Sent I-751 to California Service Center

Our Immigration Checklist

Posted

Why not do the K-1 visa, get married in a civil ceremony here and once you've applied for advanced parole or she gets her green card, go back to Indonesia and do the ceremony there? That's (sort of) what my fiancee and I are doing.

In respect to Indonesian culture, its better to have a ceremony before leaving if possible. But yes that is an option too.

keTiiDCjGVo

  • 1 month later...
Filed: AOS (apr) Country: Indonesia
Timeline
Posted

We will do the same thing; file K-1 first, day before leave for US, we will have farewell party here; more like Wedding but the real Wedding will take place in US. Good luck ....

*K1 JOURNEY

2010-07-16****K1 Petition Sent Out

2010-08-08****NOA1 Hardcopy

2011-05-20****POE LAX

2011-06-20****Wedding

AOS:

2011-08-18****AOS Package Sent.

2011-09-29****Biometric Appt. Dover, Delaware

2011-10-18****RFE reply

2011-12-13****GC in hand

AP:

2011-10-31****File AP

2011-11-08****NOA1

2011-11-14****AP Approved

ROC:

2013-10-22***Package Sent

2013-11-03***Check Cashed

2013-11-05***NOA1
2013-11-25***Biometrics

2014-02-06***GC in hand dancin5hr.gif

5b904a1af6.gif

 
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